After winning the title in 2019, former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has dropped out of the UFC pound-for-pound Top 5 for the first time.
The MMA men’s pound-for-pound rankings for men were upended by Edwards’ majority decision victory over Usman in their three-fight series on Saturday at UFC 286 at the 02 Arena in London, England, and Usman fell in the rankings as a result.
There were no people added or removed from the lists, but some people moved up the list while others moved down.
Edwards moved up a spot from number five to claim the fourth spot after his impressive victory over Usman, his second win in a row over the former pound-for-pound king.
Usman, who fought well in the defeat, dropped from number four to number six after his second loss in a row, while unbeaten UFC welterweight and middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev moved up a spot from number six to number five.
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UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones (27-1) remains in pole position in the rankings, followed by lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev (24-1), in second place and in third, the featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski (25-2).
With Usman now in sixth, he is folllowed by the former middleweight champion, Charles Oliveira (33-9), and in the eight place, is Israel Adesanya (23-2) who will be fighting to reclaim his belt from Alex Pereira on April 9 at the FTX Arena in Miami, Florida.
Usman was very respectful in his post-fight interview after the loss to Edwards but noted that he thought he had done enough to get the win and promises to face him again.
“I think I did enough to win the fight but I knew it was close,” Usman told BT Sports.
“He had a great gameplan. I always said from the start we’d meet again and I’m not done. We will see each other again. I always gave him props for what he’s accomplished. He’s a brother like myself and great respect. London you’ve got yourself a great champion.”
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